The Esports Advocate
Esports business news: deals, legal, and governance.
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International Esports Federation Suspends Russia’s Membership
The International Esports Federation (IESF) has suspended the membership of the Russian Esports Federation (RESF) following a formal complaint filed by the Ukrainian Esports Federation (UESF).
- The International Esports Federation (IESF) has suspended the membership of the Russian Esports Federation (RESF) following a formal complaint from the Ukrainian Esports Federation (UESF).
- The IESF investigation concluded that the RESF violated Article E31(i) by establishing offices within Ukrainian territory occupied during the ongoing military conflict.
- As a result of the suspension, Russian esports competitors are prohibited from representing their national flag and must compete under a neutral IESF flag.
M80 and Oxygen Esports Among New Teams Entering 2024 eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series
The 2024 eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series marks a significant shift in its competitive landscape with the introduction of six new teams.
- The 2024 eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series features 20 teams competing for a $300,000 prize pool, with the series champion earning $100,000.
- Six new organizations are joining the 14th season of the series, which begins on February 13 at the virtual Daytona International Speedway.
- Multi-titled esports organizations M80 and Oxygen Esports are among the new entrants, bringing the total number of multi-titled teams in the series to four.
SULC Louisiana Esports League Launches
The Southern University Law Center (SULC) has partnered with the esports platform Vanta to launch the SULC Louisiana Esports League, a statewide initiative designed to foster competitive gaming and educational opportunities for middle and high school students.
- Southern University Law Center (SULC) has partnered with the esports platform Vanta to launch the SULC Louisiana Esports League, a statewide competitive league for middle and high schools.
- The league is free to join for all public, private, and charter schools in Louisiana, with registration available at la.vanta.gg.
- The season begins with a pre-season on January 22, 2024, followed by a regular season starting February 5, 2024.
100 Thieves Sells Juvee to Sprecher Brewing Company
Sprecher Brewing Company has acquired the energy drink brand Juvee from the Los Angeles-based esports and gaming organization 100 Thieves.
- Sprecher Brewing Company has acquired the energy drink brand Juvee from 100 Thieves, marking Sprecher's entry into the energy drink market.
- As part of the restructuring, Juvee’s production, bottling, and warehouse operations will relocate from Los Angeles to Sprecher’s headquarters in Milwaukee.
- Juvee co-founder Sam Keene will transition to the role of Chief Marketing Officer for Sprecher Brewing Company, overseeing its entire beverage portfolio.
Esports and Gaming Marketing Veterans Launch Bright Up Agency
Industry veterans Dominic Müller and Marco Niemann have launched Bright Up Agency, a new marketing firm focused on bridging the gap between brands and the esports and gaming sectors.
- Industry veterans Dominic Müller and Marco Niemann have launched Bright Up Agency, a new firm focused on connecting brands with the gaming and esports ecosystem.
- The agency is supported by I3 Holding, the parent company of entities including Eintracht Spandau and influencer marketing agency INSTINCT3, which provides administrative and operational backing.
- Bright Up Agency aims to act as an intermediary between rights holders in entertainment and gaming and both endemic and non-endemic brands, emphasizing transparent and independent advisory services.
Boban Totovski Reappointed IESF General Secretary
The International Esports Federation (IESF) has officially confirmed the unanimous reappointment of Boban Totovski as General Secretary.
- The International Esports Federation (IESF) has unanimously reappointed Boban Totovski as General Secretary for a new three-year term.
- Approximately 130 national federations are participating in the qualifiers for the 2024 World Esports Championship.
- The 2024 World Esports Championship is scheduled to take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, later this year.
FACEIT Tapped for 2024 Call of Duty Challengers
The ESL FACEIT Group (EFG) has been selected to host the 2024 Call of Duty Challengers and Elite Qualifiers, marking a significant shift in the operational infrastructure for the competitive Call of Duty ecosystem.
- Activision Blizzard has selected the ESL FACEIT Group (EFG) platform to host its 2024 Call of Duty Challengers and Elite Qualifiers.
- The 2024 Call of Duty Challengers season is scheduled to commence with the Challengers Cup on January 20–21, 2024.
- Tournament operations on the FACEIT platform will be conducted manually, as the platform lacks deep game integration for Call of Duty.
Blix.gg Shutting Down This Week
The esports and gaming publication Blix.gg ceased editorial operations on January 16, 2024.
- The esports and gaming publication Blix.gg officially ceased all editorial operations on January 16, 2024.
- Parent company EX CORP cited the broader 'esports winter' and the inability to achieve a sustainable business model or return on investment as the primary reasons for the closure.
- Blix.gg was part of a portfolio owned by the Cyprus-based EX CORP, which also operates CS.MONEY, xplay.gg, Scope.gg, and LVL.IO.
Chengdu to Host Intel Extreme Masters in 2024
The ESL FACEIT Group has announced that the 2024 Intel Extreme Masters (IEM) tournament will take place in Chengdu, China, from April 8–14.
- ESL FACEIT Group will host the Intel Extreme Masters (IEM) 2024 in Chengdu, China, from April 8-14.
- The Counter-Strike 2 tournament features a $250,000 USD prize pool and 16 international teams, with the winner qualifying for IEM Cologne 2024.
- The event will take place at the 12,000-seat Financial City Art Centre, marking ESL's first arena tournament in China in over four years.
Discord Cuts 17% of Workforce
Discord announced a significant reduction in its global workforce in January 2024, cutting approximately 17% of its staff, which equates to roughly 170 employees.
- Discord has laid off 17% of its global workforce, affecting approximately 170 employees.
- CEO Jason Citron attributed the layoffs to rapid expansion, noting that the company's staff grew 5x since 2020, which led to project bloat and operational inefficiency.
- This reduction follows a smaller round of layoffs in August 2023, which saw the company cut approximately 4% of its staff.
Enthusiast Gaming and NFL Announce Final Episode of NFL Tuesday Night Gaming
Enthusiast Gaming and the National Football League (NFL) concluded the second season of their collaborative series, NFL Tuesday Night Gaming, with a special broadcast on the FOX television network.
- The NFL and Enthusiast Gaming will air a one-hour special episode of 'NFL Tuesday Night Gaming' on the FOX television network on January 13, 2024, at noon ET.
- The special broadcast serves as the conclusion to the 15-episode second season of the gaming series, which featured NFL players competing alongside gaming creators in titles such as Madden NFL 24, Fortnite, and Rocket League.
- The series is a strategic collaboration between the NFL and Enthusiast Gaming designed to engage younger audiences by bridging the gap between professional sports and gaming communities.
Twitch Confirms Major Layoffs
In January 2024, the Amazon-owned streaming platform Twitch announced a significant reduction in its global workforce, eliminating approximately 500 positions.
- Twitch is laying off approximately 500 employees, representing 35% of its global workforce.
- CEO Daniel Clancy stated the cuts are necessary to align the company's organizational size with its current business scale rather than optimistic three-year growth projections.
- Despite the layoffs, Twitch maintains that its business remains strong, noting that it paid out over $1 billion to streamers in 2023.